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The Field Museum houses some of the world's finest collections. The Field Museum recognizes the need to support basic research on its collections by interested students and scholars throughout the world. To this end, the Museum offers a modest number of grants and fellowships to visiting scientists and students for research and training in our scientific collections and state-of-the-art laboratories. Grants to examine specimens in our collections are open on a competitive basis to all individuals in the national and international scholarly community working on problems related to natural history. Eligibility for undergraduate research (REU) internships, high school internships and science educators vary, please consult the description for each program.

All visiting Scholarship and Bass Senior Fellowship applications must be endorsed by a Field Museum scientific sponsor. All Graduate Fellowship applications must be endorsed by a Field Museum curator. Preference is given to projects related to the collections strength or research interests of a Field Museum curator or other scientific sponsor. All applicants that require endorsement must specify the Field Museum curator or other scientific sponsor who will write a letter in support of the applicant’s project. Applicants must contact an appropriate sponsor at the Field Museum before submitting their application. Please note that Field Museum staff can travel frequently, sometimes for extended time periods. Contact the appropriate Field Museum sponsor well in advance of the application deadline.

Proof of English language proficiency

As of January 2015, the Museum must verify that all J-1 exchange visitors have “sufficient proficiency in the English language, as determined by an objective measurement of English language proficiency, successfully to participate in his or her program and to function on a day-to-day basis.” The regulations provide several approved methods to document English proficiency:

A recognized English language test (following standards used by several universities, this would be a TOEFL score of 525 or 71 iBT, or an IELTS score of 6.0).

Signed documentation from an academic institution or English language school (completion of an English as a Second Language program or a degree from a university where instruction is all in English).

Through a documented interview conducted by the sponsor either in person or by videoconferencing, or by telephone if videoconferencing is not a viable option.